IN TRUMP'S MILITARY, A MORE SKEPTICAL VIEW OF CLIMATE
As part of the Trump administration's cost-cutting measures, the Pentagon has canceled 91 studies on topics ranging from the impact of climate change to food insecurity. The decision to cut the studies, which will save the Department some $30 million a year, came despite growing acknowledgement by military officials of climate-related threats, such as natural disasters and risks to military bases. A prior study conducted in 2018 found that around half of U.S. military bases would be impacted by climate change-induced weather events – prompting the Biden administration, while it was in office, to make climate change a major focus of the U.S. military.
The current administration is taking a decidedly different tack. In a recent post on X, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth claimed that the Pentagon "does not do climate change crap." And despite concerns from experts, the Pentagon has reaffirmed this stance, signaling a shift in priorities that will likely shape the next four years of scholarly defense funding as part of a broader rollback on climate related initiatives. (Reuters, March 10, 2025)
CHINA'S FUTURE ENERGY SOURCE
China's reserves of thorium, a radioactive metal with vast energy production possibilities, may be much greater than previously believed. A recently declassified report from a 2020 governmental survey reveals that the Chinese Bayan Obo mining facility, the largest rare earths deposit in the world, is capable of producing a million tons of thorium, a quantity capable of yielding enough energy to power China for 60,000 years.
The PRC is leaning into the exploitation of the strategic mineral. Just last year, it authorized the creation of the first thorium molten-salt reactor (TMSR) in the Gobi Desert. It will produce 10 megawatts of power once it comes online in 2029. Moreover, China has floated designs for thorium-powered nuclear container ships, which will be capable of traversing vast distances without the need for refueling. However, hurdles remain. Thorium is difficult and incredibly costly to isolate from surrounding rare earths, and there are also concerns that it could be converted into weapons-grade uranium. (South China Morning Post, February 28, 2025)
AFRICA SEARCHES FOR ANSWERS TO FOOD INSECURITY
African nations are moving to mitigate food insecurity stemming from Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. The now-three-year-old conflict has resulted in the disruption of food supply chains globally, and raised the specter of shortages and food insecurity on the continent. In response, African nations are increasingly seeking food self-sufficiency, and experts are urging them to expand domestic farming practices and strengthen trade relations with neighboring states.
The focus is logical. The continent's food supply continues to be buffeted by factors such as rising fertilizer prices, threats of tariffs on crop imports in the U.S., and a Chinese levy on U.S. agricultural produce. As a result, Africa's food imports expected to reach $110 billion this year and a significant agricultural trade deficit is expected. All of this has made increased self-reliance and an emphasis on local trade as an alternative to dependence on foreign markets a growing focus in the region. (Bloomberg, March 5, 2025)
CHINA ACCELERATES STOCKPILING EFFORTS
Beijing recently announced that it is taking steps to expand its stockpile of critical materials like food, fuel, and other commodities. New storage facilities are reportedly being constructed for grain, petroleum, and various other items of importance in order to supplement China’s extensive pre-existing reserves. Estimates from last July indicate that the PRC's strategic petroleum reserve contains around 290 million barrels, and many have gauged Chinese metal, grain, and meat reserves to be in the hundreds of millions of tons. However, China remains secretive over the exact figures. (Reuters, March 4, 2025)